Transition periods can be extremely difficult. They can sap all the energy straight out of you leaving you bare and dry to the bone. They are confusing, changing the course of your daily routines and putting you in the constant need to make decisions, about everything, because everything has changed.
Making a change in your place of work is one of these periods of transition. I went through this just recently, leaving the company that I worked for after more than 10 years. I was connected, to the people that I worked with more than anything else, and severing these ties was the most difficult. But everything else changed as well. My pace of work, my work hours which affected my waking time and the time I came back home every day, my daily assignments, different ways of doing work, not to mention meeting a lot of new people and the effort that goes into building new connections. The list goes on and on. And even though the decision to make this change was totally mine, I suffered through this period. I did try to fight these feelings, telling myself to give myself time, trying to convince myself that all this is natural, and it makes sense. But deep inside I don’t think that I really believed this reasoning.

Several months along the line, I can say that I learnt a few things from this experience. First of all, we must always remember that work is work and changes can come and go. Secondly, it really does take time. The body needs to learn a new dance, a new rythm, and even if the change is a positive one (which it usually is) it takes time to get used to, no matter what. And we need to give ourselves that grace. We need to remember and tell ourselves time and again that transitions are challenging and that’s expected and it’s ok. Talk about it with people close to you; air these feelings, but not too much.

I believe these transitions can come in many forms in our lives – getting married and even more dramatic when having a child. Moving to a totally new place, changing career paths, getting divorced, and retiring. 

Another tool that can be helpful is to try to flex our “change” muscles, try to move our cheese once in a while, try to come out of that comfort zone, try some new experience, challenge ourselves with something that scares us just a little. It will all contribute to making that next transition a bit easier.

Walk in confidence and take your time with it all. Good luck!